The quality or state of being noble; superiority of mind or of character; commanding excellence; eminence.
The state of being of high rank or noble birth; patrician dignity; antiquity of family; distinction by rank, station, or title, whether inherited or conferred.
Those who are noble; the collective body of nobles or titled persons in a state; the aristocratic and patrician class; the peerage; as, the English nobility.
Somewhat of a loose term used generally to refer to the peerage.
titled persons in Britain, aristocrat BACK
noble: people who are part of a class of people by their birth, historically entitled to priveleige due to excellence, fame, or connection to a country's monarchy or ruler
A class of people with titles of rank, such as duke or baron, who formerly had special rights that the majority of people did not have.
This meant literally descent from a noble or aristocratic family. Despite this, there was an ongoing debate during the Middle Ages on whether man was ennobled by his actions or by his heritage, something similar to our own ‘nature vs nurture' debate. See also Of Four Quarterings.
high social rank, especially that which is inherited, or which is conferred by title; the body of nobles in any society.
Nobles are yeoman with enough colors to qualify for a title during the Imperial Census. They are responsible to their liegemen, and for them. Nobles appoint officers of their household. Nobles are sworn to the Monarch. Nobles are bound by the same laws as yeoman, and must wear a coronet of rank.
group of people in a society who have been given legally-recognized titles, by inheriting them or receiving them from a monarch or other authority. Great Britain is one example of a country which has a nobility, or noble class.
Group of persons having legally recognized titles, usually of a hereditary nature, who compose the aristocracy in a society. In Great Britain, the nobility is represented in the House of Lords.
a privileged class holding hereditary titles
members of an heriditary ruling class. Aristocrats. The rules for modes of address are: Title Duke Marquis Earl Viscount Baron Self Duke+of+title Lord+title Lord+title Lord+title Lord+title Wife Duchess+of+title Lady+title Lady+title Lady+title Lady+title Son Lord+first name Lord+first name Hon. Hon. Hon. Daughter Lady+first name Lady+first name Lady+first name Hon. Hon.
1) the state of hereditary and lawfully privileged aristocracy recognised in a person by a sovereign nation. 2) the hereditary aristocracy recognised formally as a social class.
Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). The term originally referred to those who were "known" or "notable" and was applied to the highest social class in pre-modern societies. In the feudal system (in Europe and elsewhere), the nobility were generally those who held a fief, often land and/or office, under vassalage, i.e. in exchange for allegiance and various, mainly military, services to the Monarch and at lower levels to another nobleman.
